Elderly pedestrian struck in Warren dies

A pedestrian who died late Monday after she was struck by a vehicle in Warren has been identified as Mari Juncaj, 81, of Sterling Heights, police said Tuesday.

Juncaj was walking north in the curb lane of Ryan Road when she was struck by a northbound vehicle near 13 Mile Road, Warren Detective Sgt. Stephen Mills said.

The driver of the 2005 Chevrolet that hit Juncaj is a 20-year-old man from Warren. He stopped and remained at the accident scene and cooperated with investigators, police said.

“Another car had gone by her and swerved and hit the horn, and this guy was right behind,” Mills said.

Juncaj was transported to St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Madison Heights, where she died a short time later.

Juncaj had resided with relatives in the area and left the home without notifying family members, police said.

“They came in (to the police department) this morning to report her missing, and we had to unfortunately advise them what had occurred,” Mills said.

Alcohol was not a factor in the deadly incident and the driver was not at fault in the accident, police said.

Last Sept. 3, a bicyclist died after he was struck by a car on northbound Ryan Road, less than a mile from Monday’s accident.

Andrew Macielak, 51, of Warren died of injuries he suffered when he was hit on Labor Day while riding north on Ryan near Hillcrest Avenue, south of 14 Mile Road, shortly after 8:30 p.m.

After the collision, a motorist noticed a vehicle that appeared abandoned on 14 Mile near Breckenridge in Sterling Heights. The driver turned around, pulled up behind the 2003 Saturn Ion and was asked by Kittisak Clayphotong to help push the vehicle, police said.

The unidentified passerby noticed damage to the front of the car, refused to help the stranded motorist and called police.

Warren and Sterling Heights police arrived and arrested Clayphotong. He was charged with drunken driving causing death and failing to stop at a fatal accident. Clayphotong pleaded guilty to both counts and is scheduled to be sentenced April 9 in Macomb County Circuit Court, according to court records.